main army of France, freed
by the retreat of Lord Galway from all trouble on the western side of
Spain, was in full march for Catalonia.

The Prince of Serclaes, with four thousand men, watched the small
garrison at Lerida; the Duke of Noailles, with eight thousand French
troops from Roussillon, threatened Catalonia on a third side; while
Philip and Marshal Tesse had collected ten thousand men at Madrid. The
letter concluded with the words: "There is nothing here but distrust,
discontent, and despair."

The responsibility left by the king's letter upon Peterborough was
great indeed. On the one hand, if he did not return to the defense of
Catalonia, the king might be exposed to imminent danger; and, on the
other, if he repassed the Ebro he might be accused of having left
Valencia and its loyal inhabitants to their fate, and would have
forfeited all the advantages that his audacity and skill had already
gained.

His difficulties in any case were enormous. His infantry were marching
almost barefooted; they were clothed in rags. The season was inclement,
the country mountainous and rough, and the horses of the dragoons so
exhausted that they could scarcely carry their riders. In obedience to
his instructions, here, as at Tortosa, he assembled his officers in a
council of war and asked their opinion. They were unanimous in saying
that, with the small and exhausted force under his orders, no further
operation could be undertaken for the conquest of Valencia, but that the
little army should post itself in such a position as might afford the
greatest facility for protecting the king.

Peterborough had thus on one side not only the difficulty of the
position, but the opinion of the council of war against a further
advance; but on the other hand he knew the anxiety of the king that
help should be given to the Valencians. He therefore announced to his
officers a resolution as desperate as that ever formed by a sane man.
He had listened gravely and in silence while the officers gave their
opinion, and then ordered that the footsore infantry, with a few of
the horse, should march back to Vinaroz, a little town on the seaside a
day's journey from Tortosa, where in case of necessity they might embark
in boats and be taken off to the ships. Then, to the stupefaction of
his officers, he announced his intention of himself proceeding with the
remaining dragoons, about a hundred and fifty in number, to conquer the
province of Valenci